Did you know that the 3,000 acre tract that makes up the Blackwater Canyon was recently sold to Allegheny Wood Products? West Virginians were shocked to learn that this state symbol of remote, wild beauty could soon be logged, subdivided and developed. Just as this remarkable scenic area recovers from the devastating timbering of the 20's, a new assault affecting Blackwater Falls State Park area and Tucker County tourism threatens.

The spectacular Blackwater Canyon provides recreation for paddlers, hikers, bikers, cross-country skiiers, fisherman, birders and sightseers, and habitat for numerous valuable plant and animal species (including bear, wild turkey, deer, the endangered Cheat Mountain salamander, and other threatened plants and animals). The Canyon's immensely valuable recreational and habitat resources will certainly be degraded by development and extractive industries.

The Blackwater Canyon Campaign wants the extraordinary Blackwater Canyon to become public land and a part of the Monongahela National Forest, to be protected for public use, scenic and recreational enjoyment, and wildlife habitat. Here are some relevant facts about the Blackwater Canyon:

* The Canyon's Blackwater, which drops 136 feet per mile for 8 miles, is one of the most superb whitewater courses in the eastern U.S. and the state's largest continuous whitewater run. It joins the Dry Fork of the Cheat River near Parsons WV;

* West Virginia's Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Dept. Natural Resource (DNR) have spent $1 million treating acid mine drainage to preserve a trout fishery in the Blackwater River, and have begun treatment of the Blackwater's north fork, to create ten miles of new trout stream in the canyon;

* Scenic views bring 750,000 people and $2.5 million annually to the Blackwater Falls State Park and an estimated $22.3 million into the local economy;

* A Rail Trail proposed for the area would link the Blackwater Falls State Park to the nearby Canaan Valley State Park and Wildlife Refuge;

* The Blackwater Canyon Conservation Fund and the U.S. Forest Service want to purchase the land as a public recreational resource;

To help the Blackwater Canyon Campaign, send your name, address (US mail / e-mail), and phone number to:

The West Virginia Land Trust
PO Box 734
Morgantown, WV 26507